1. Field of the Invention
Various aspects of the invention relate to structures such as floors, roofing and exterior decking, and more specifically, relate to deck boards, deck planks, porch boards, flooring, the connection of adjacent boards to each other, the connection of the end of boards to each other, and various accessories used with such structures.
Certain aspects of the invention relate to the management of rain water & melting snow to keep the underside of a deck system substantially dry, providing for storage of articles and the ability to have a first floor patio/deck area underneath it without rain water affecting the enjoyment of the space or reaching the foundation of the house.
2. Description of Related Art
Deck systems are in wide use in both residential and commercial applications. Some deck systems consist of simple wooden boards having a rectangular cross-section each arranged longitudinally parallel to each other onto a supporting structure. Similar systems are in use with the deck boards being made of manmade material such as a composite or plastic based material.
These known systems sometimes have several disadvantages. For example, the parallel boards usually are spaced apart from each other laterally to some degree, and even if the deck boards are abutting each other along their length, there is generally still some type of gap between them. This gap between the long edges of the boards allows water to pass through. Thus, when natural rain water or a cleaning water, spilled water, melting snow or other liquid contacts the top surface of the deck boards, it will typically leak down through between the deck boards. This can be undesirable in situations where it is preferred that the region under the deck surface be kept dry. Such situations include structures having a deck surface on an upper floor and a residential area on a lower floor beneath the deck surface. Other situations where it is preferred that the region under the deck surface be kept dry include decks having a dirt surface beneath the deck surface. By keeping the dirt surface beneath the deck surface dry, the resident may prevent the dirt beneath the deck surface from becoming a haven for insects and weeds. In other commercial or industrial uses, it is desirable to keep liquids on the upper surface from inadvertently dripping to the lower area. In addition, where deck boards are also end-to-end, there is typically a space between the end surfaces of the deck boards. In some instances a relatively wide space is left between the ends of the deck boards in order to allow for a thermal expansion and contraction of boards placed end to end. This gap also can allow for undesirable fluid leakage or liquid leakage under the deck as described above.
Another disadvantage of some deck boards is that in some instances it is necessary to screw the deck boards down to the supporting structure and in a conventional rectangular cross-section board, the screw heads are exposed on the top surface which may be undesirable for cosmetic or other reasons.